On Sunday 6 September, Germany’s new far-right nationalist party achieved its main objective: for the first time, it will govern a ‘Land’, a federal state of the republic.

The AfD (Alternative for Germany) swept to victory with 43.8 per cent of the vote and fell just three seats short of an absolute majority. Its success is confirmed by the fact that more people than ever went to vote (a record 78 per cent turnout in these elections) and that the party, which advocates the controversial 'remigration' of foreigners, won in every single one of the 218 municipalities in Saxony-Anhalt.

All Evangelical Focus news and opinion, on your WhatsApp

Facing them in the coming years will be a weak opposition, in which Prime Minister Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democrats and the Social Democrats (both leading the national government) together account for just one in four votes.

How did Protestants and Catholics vote?

Two days after the elections, the polling organisation Konrad Adenauer Stiftung reported that 33 per cent of those identifying as Protestants voted for the AfD, as did 34 per cent of Catholics. In the last elections, in 2021, 19 per cent of Protestants and 15 per cent of Catholics had voted for this party.

However, it is amongst those who say they have no religion that the far right has been most successful, securing half of the votes (49 per cent).

As mentioned by German magazine Pro, traditionally, the CDU led by former leader Angela Merkel was the party most frequently voted for by Protestants and Catholics. In these elections, only 26 per cent remained loyal to the Christian Democratic option – just over half the figure from the last elections.

Historic churches not able to counter the AfD

Prior to the vote, the efforts of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) and the Roman Catholic Church to combat nationalist populism were notable. With posters calling for the protection of the vulnerable and migrants, and urging respect for the dignity of every person, both religious institutions urged their members to vote ‘in good conscience’.

The AfD’s landslide victory has shown that the message did not get through. In fact, during the campaign, the party claimed that it better defends Christian values – such as the traditional family, the right to life of the unborn, and even the defence of persecuted Christians – than the German national churches, which it accuses of having “lost their relevance” in the modern world.

Saxony-Anhalt, a state in eastern Germany that has been losing population (just 2.1 million inhabitants), is one of those with the highest proportion of atheists or agnostics. The 2022 census shows that 11 per cent of its inhabitants are members of the Protestant Church, and only 5 per cent of the Catholic Church. There are no conclusive figures on the number of members of free evangelical churches.

Catholics and Protestants: “Our worst fears have come true”

Following the AfD’s indisputable victory, the Protestant and Catholic Churches acknowledged in a joint statement that their attempt to stop the populist right had failed.

“The election result shows just how great the dissatisfaction and loss of trust are. This must be taken seriously”, they admitted, adding that “the result must be accepted”.

But they continued: “Our worst fears have come true”. They added: “We call on the election winners to respect the state constitution and the Constitution without reservation, and to uphold the dignity of all people, regardless of their origin, religion, way of life, achievements or position”.

The two traditional German national churches state that “we are committed to the message of the Gospel and the Christian view of humanity. Based on this commitment, we will closely monitor and critically scrutinise the political actions of the future state government. We will not look away, nor will we remain silent, when human dignity is violated, our democracy is jeopardised or the rule of law is undermined”.

“We will continue to support everything that underpins our democracy and contribute to social cohesion. Above all, this requires places for people to come together, for dialogue and mutual understanding. The churches, too, can serve as important meeting places”.

Addittionally, the president of the German Jewish Council said he was deeply distressed by the outcome of the election achieved by a party he considers antisemitic, and stated that those who voted for the AfD are “responsible” for the policies they may implement whilst in regional government.

The position of evangelical entities

So far, neither the Evangelical Alliance in Germany (EAD) nor representative denominational groups such as the Federation of Free Evangelical Churches (FeG) have publicly stated their position on these elections.

However, in May 2025, the Evangelical Alliance did explain in a policy document that “we reject any political appropriation of Christian concepts for the purpose of demarcation or exclusion”.

They also condemned “any rhetoric that condemns or dehumanises people on the basis of their origin or affiliation”.

In the last years, the Evangelical Alliance has expressed concern about rising anti-Semitism in Germany and the polarisation that hinders calm dialogue between people with differing worldviews.